POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2066, 11 December 1919, Page 3

POLITICAL.

king at Christchurch on SlitSir Joseph Ward referred to his attitude towards the Labour Party, lie said lie wu/against the men who wanted direct action, the men who did not realise the position of.the Dominion was in to-day, and he wanted to say that they would be responsible for bringing about a condition of tilings in this country incomparably worse than they were before. If people in this country wanted to prevent the small seeds of Bolshevism from being sown here and growing up and spreading about the country, they must recognise Labour. He was standing for the country’s good, and appealing to the moderate section of the community to help. If he were returned as head of the Government he would give Labour its fair representation in that Government. It was not only right, but ji was a far-seeing thing to do. Mr W. A. Veiteb had been “on the footplate” when the speaker was Minister for Railways. That ci.'-.s of man in the Government of tk - country would he an antidote against the sowing of those seeds he had referred to. He was not disposed to rest under the imputation that he was in league with the extreme party. The people could go to Messrs Eraser or Holland, and they would find he had never spoken to either of them in regard to polities of the future. No agreement had ever been made, and it was a"deliberatc lie to say such an agreement had been arranged. Now, here is Mr Holland’s statement re the Labour Party’s attitude t to the Liberals: The Labour ParT ty hopes to be strong enough to form the official Opposition, in which case it will move want-of-confidence. At the same time, although the Labour Parly would - seize the first opportunity to defeat Mr Massey on anybody’s motion, it Sir Joseph Ward came into power Labour would only keep him there while he complied with its demands.

Liberals in I his constituency niusl either support the lieform candidate or the accredited supporter of: the Party of which Mr Holland is the v accredited Parliamentary leader, r The other alternative is disfranchisement. Will the Liberals in this constituency compromise with extreme Labour? Will they agree to allow the Labour (ail to wag the Liberal clog? Before (hey cast a vnte for tbe Labour candidate they must think this point out, and all that it moans. They should not forget that Sir Joseph Ward has pledged Ins party to give Labour its ■ rightful place in liie executive* of Hie tiovernmenl, hut let Liberals not forget that the Labour Sir Joseph Ward refers to is not of Hie extreme kind. Bending between the lines, it V may mean.that Mr Veiteh would he T elevated to the Cabinet. Xow a gulf is fixed between Mr Veiteh and Mr Holland. H, therefore, the Liberals support Mr Ilillier they are not advancing the cause of Liberalism,

At a meeliug at Parewanui, Mr E, Newman received a very warm and hearty welcome. The schoolroom iu which his address was held was well filled, and his speech was listened to attentively throughout. At the conclusion, on the proposal of Air 11. Dalrymple, seconded by Air A. Amon, Air Newman was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and confidence, which was carried by acclamation. Air Gordon Eliott was in the chair. Mr Newman’s address followed the lines of his recent speeches, but he .made special reference to the nationalisation of industries.

Air E, Newman has received a letter from Air Campbell, lion, secretary, stating that at a meeting of the central executive, New Zealand Educational Institute, representative of the whole of the teachers in the Wanganui Educational District, a motion was passed expressive of appreciation of the eltorts lie (Air Newman) had put forward iu the House iu furtherance of educational reform.

Mr Newman invites his supporters to meet him in the Masonic Hall on Tuesday afternoon next, at 2.30 o’clock.

If elected to Parliament, Mr P. Pirani will not support a proposal to increase members’ honorariums. Speaking at the Alexandra Hall, Wellington, he expressed the opinion that £3OO per year, special postal and telegraphic concessions,’ and free travelling on the railways, was well enough without any increase. He added that on one occasion when the House had voted each member £4O additional he had returned his to the Treasury,

“Sir James Allen is an obstinate man, and you can take it for sure that if the Reform Party is returned to power he will force his scheme for military training. You must vopf'out the Reform Party if you want to vote out Prussian Militarism of a kind that brought bloodshed and sorrow to this fair world. ’ Mr H. Oakley Browne, at Wellington.

Sir Joseph W ard has had a kind of triumphal march from Martinborough to Hawkes Bay. He delivered open-air addresses at several towns, and met with a good reception at Hastings.

■ Mr Massey addressed large and enthusiastic meetings in this week.

Messrs Newman and Hillier will speak at Foxtou next Tuesday night, the former in the Masonic Hall, and the latter in the Royal.

“The mini who does,.,half a day’s work for a whole day’s pay is just as much a profiteer is the other fellow.” —Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell, at Newtown.

Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Liberal Party, spoke at Waverley last evening. He will now go on to Auckland, where he will address the electors in the Town Hall on Friday afternoon. He is,to leave Auckland the same night, and will probably speak at Marten on Saturday. He is to address the electors in the Wellington Town Hall next Monday night.

“There are some people who imagine that the Labour Party comprises three poor men —Holland, Semple, and Fraser. You are asked to believe that. You are told that we are carrying the whole of the Labour Party on our hacks. Why, it reminds me of a story of. a small bo\ —a story I heard to-day. . . . This small boy works upon a collier, and a little time ago he was asked to move a huge gangway. He looked at the male and said: ‘Do you know my name A The male said, ‘Blank, isn’t it V The hoy replied; ‘You do know, thou. You didn't think I was Samson.’ Well, we must be three Samsons. To say that a trinity dominates the Labour Party' is ridiculous, as anybody who studies its constitution must realise. 1 have no more power in the Labour Party than any other member of the party.” —Air P. Fraser at Aro Street Mission Hall, Wellington.

The Hon. W, F.. Massey spoke at Ngarimwahia on Tuesday. The hall was densely packed, and hundreds ed could not get in. Trouble was scented from the beginning. A special train load of miners from Glenmassey occupied the whole rear part of the ball. • The Premier was received with loud applause, hissing, and hooting. There was a tremendous hubbub for a time, and cheers were called for Air Jordan, the Labour candidate. When allowed to proceed, Air Massey bowed acknowledgments, and said; “Thank you. - ’ This was the signal for a- further outburst, but I lie Premier only smiled. A voice; “Keep smiling, Bill!” Air Massey: “Yes, I’ll smile and continue to smile when some of those who are boohing will be weeping. That will he the night of the election.” Air Massey said it was the first time he had spoken at Nganmwuhia, A voice: “Bui it will be the last.” The Premier commenced to refer to the war, when a voice interrupted: “Give us politics; not that stuff, luterjccl ions continued, and Mr .Massey said; “1 am not going to stand (his sort of tiling. There are certain ways of stopping it. I have never resorted to such ways yet, Iml I will not hesitate to do so to-night.” Mr Massey endeavoured to proceed, but further interruption caused him to instruct a constable to take names. “Simply take names; that’s all 1 waul you lo do. 1 will do the rest, for at present I am head of the police.” (Laughter and prolonged booling.) Air Massey: “I think the tactics of iuteiTiiplionists in this campaign have been the most cowardly and contemptible it is possible to imagine. Do they think there is anything manly in interrupting a meeting.” Later Mr Alassey said; “l>‘im going to do something to improve the road from Tuakau. A voice: “Put the Labour Party on it.”

Air Alassey: “The Labour Party! Hum! They go slow. 1 can just imagine what a lot of road-making the Labour Party would do.” (Laughter and groans.)

The Premier went on to speak of finance, lint his remarks were scarcely audible. The interruptions continued for some lime, amt a miner finally rose at the back of the ball and began to address the Premier excitedly, and threatened to fight those laughing at him. A great .hubbub ensued.

Air Massey spoke about shipping, and said the time had come when the Government would have to own ships, but it would be ultcrTolly to purchase ships now. There were more interjections, and a voice called, “When are you going to be a baron, Bill?” Mr Massey; “That is not a thing I take pleasure in; for I have been offered high honours. My pleasure is in doing what I can for the people.” Questions poured in, and there were many interruptions. Mr Massey read a telegram he had received, quoting a speech by Mr Holland, in which he said that he was going to assist - Ward to oust Massey, and then dictate terms to Ward. “Let me say this,” said Mr Massey. “They are not going to get me. I would sooner leave the Treasury benches and Parliament altogether and go back to the .plough than be kept in power by these democrats.’''

A vole of thanks was carried amid applause. The Premier thanked^ the audience for the enjoyable evening they had given him, and the meeting broke up with hisses, hoots, and applause, and cheers for Mr Jordan, the Labour candidate.

The Premier states the Government intends at an early date to issue a proclamation bringing into operation the Act which provides for an Elective Upper Chamber, instead of a nominated one. The first election will be held simultaneously with the elections for the House of Representatives next General Election.

It is.the wish of the Prime Minister that the new’ Parliament shall meet as soon as possible after the end of the financial year—after 31st March next. Mr Massey explained

that the sooner Parliament could get to grips with the problems of the future the better it would be for the country. He was still of opinion that it would be a very good thing for some of the members of Parliament, *at any rate, to visit Samoa, and see the position for themselves before legislating for the future administration of the Islands. If .this Samoan trip eventuated the probability was that the House would not be able to meet before the end of Mav,